


Something Tragic, Something Magic

by woodsbane



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Magical Bond, Mild Gore, Minor Character Death, Slow Burn, This is a spell bond fic type thing, by slow burn I mean slow burn, have fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-07-15 22:10:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7240426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodsbane/pseuds/woodsbane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Someone has been killing warlocks, and the Clave wants us to investigate," Robert says. </p><p>Or, the fic where someone is out killing warlocks, and Magnus and Alec have to investigate- leading them to be tied into a sticky situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first real chaptered fic! I don't know how long it's going to be, but I will try to update every sunday. This fic is also one where they get magically bonded together because there aren't enough fics about it. 
> 
> I also want to thank [mia](chairmanmeow-and-church.tumblr.com) for beta'ing, she is my lord and savior.  
> (fic title was taken from Hozier's song From Eden)
> 
> Enjoy!!

“Left!” Izzy says, aiming her staff to Alec’s left calf just as Jace hit it. It stings, but only for a second as he takes a stab at Jace when he leaves his right arm open for a hit. Jace blocks it, the staffs making a _clank_ against each other. Alec goes to swipe at Jace’s leg, kicking him down and then Alec’s is in Jace’s face. Jace slumps against the mat, breathing heavy. 

“I win,” Alec says, a smirk playing on his lips. 

“That’s only because Izzy gave you help,” Jace grunts, accepting the hand Alec offers to pull himself up. Izzy laughs behind them. 

“Sorry Jace, I was rooting for Alec. Next time, I’ll help you instead,” Izzy says, sarcasm in her voice. Jace huffs, and Alec rolls his eyes at his siblings. 

Their banter is interrupted by their father, along with Clary, as they walk the steps up to the training room. Alec stands straighter, his hands going behind his back. Izzy and Jace do so as well while Robert starts. 

“We are assigning you four a new mission,” Robert says, staring at Alec, Jace, Izzy, and Clary in front of him. 

“The Clave has informed us that someone is killing warlocks. Only three have been killed so far, but because of how close the kills have been, the Clave wants us to take action.” 

“Alec,” Robert looks at him, and Alec shifts at the sound of his name, “I need you to go see Magnus Bane, and find out if he knows anything. Jace, go with him as backup,” Robert turns his head to the girls, “Because the bodies have shown up around Seelie portals, I want you two to go ask the Seelie Queen if she knows anything. Come back to me with any information you get. Find out who, or what, is doing this.”

He leaves, without waiting for questions. Alec isn’t surprised at his dad running off, and he focuses on the others instead. 

“Who would want to kill warlocks?” Clary asks

Izzy answers. “Well, that’s what we are going to find out,” she turns to Alec, giving him a smirk,”Tell Magnus hi for me, I do miss him.” 

“You know him?” Alec asks, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“He throws the best parties at his club, of course I do.” 

Alec sighs. Great. A party-throwing warlock who probably doesn’t take anything seriously, probably thinks life is one giant game. Alec can’t wait. 

“Well I’m going to change and we’ll be good to go. You coming Alec?” Jace asks, already walking toward the exit. 

Alec nods, following him. 

\-- 

When they arrive at Magnus’s address, they stand at the door as Alec knocks. 

After a beat, the door opens to a warlock who must be Magnus. He’s dressed to the nines, and Alec chokes at the site, his eyes taking in the showy outfit. 

Alec wants to say, _‘really?’_ to him, because really? Who dresses like this? 

There’s no where on his body that isn’t covered in something that shines— his pants are tight, thin and silver, and his maroon shirt is open all the way down his chest, revealing dark, smooth skin covered by pesky necklaces… Alec snaps his eyes up to the warlock’s face, a bittersweet expression staring back at him. 

“Shadowhunters. What a pleasant surprise,” Magnus says, the sarcasm heavy on his tongue. Alec is already annoyed, to say the least. Is Magnus always this… dramatic?

Magnus steps back into his loft without another word, and Alec looks at Jace with a shrug. Jace walks in, and Alec reluctantly follows, looking at the interior of the loft. It’s very… _loud_. There’s splashes of color everywhere, from the art on the wall to the furniture, and it gives Alec a headache. He looks at the warlock instead, who is at his makeshift bar. Alec watches the way he moves with a graceful flourish, making a drink for himself.

“We’re here to see if you know anything about the recent warlock murders happening in New York,” Alec says, trying to keep the growing agitation out of his tone. He doesn’t even know _why_ he’s so annoyed, but the way Magnus moves, his loud and colorful wardrobe…. Alec is just irritated by all of it.

Magnus is facing away from them. He takes his time mixing a drink together and then stirs it with the little umbrella, all the while testing Alec’s patience.

“You,” Magnus finally says, turning to look at Alec, “must be the eldest Lightwood. The resemblance to your sister is uncanny, I have to say. What is your name?”

“Alec.” 

He turns to Jace, a grin spreading. “And you are?” 

“Jace.”

Alec notices the not so subtle glance over that Magnus gives Jace, and Alec is hit with more irritation. Alec keeps returning back to the word that is stuck in his mind. _Really?_

“Do you know anything about the warlock murders,” Alec tries again, his voice stern. By now, he’s ready for this visit to be over. His time--time that Magnus is wasting--could be put to better use than watching Magnus check out Jace. 

The way Magnus turns to face him after Alec repeats the question sends a chill down Alec’s spine. The slow, curious glance with narrowed eyes, taking a sip of his drink. Alec decidedly does not notice the way his adam’s apple moves as he takes a sip, or the way his pink lips contrast against the glass. 

Magnus makes a dignified sound and a dramatic gesture with his hands, the ice in the glass clinking as he moves. “No, I do not. However, I do know the people that died. They were dear friends of mine.” 

Alec crosses his arms, his expression never changing.

“Can you tell us who they were? We can see if there’s a pattern, if this person killing warlocks is looking for something specifically.” Jace says, and the warlock’s expression turns somber after a minute, his eyes downcast in his drink. But he still has a smile on his face, even if it is barely one. 

“My friends all lead very different lives,” Magnus starts.

“Bao had more of an outgoing nature. They liked to party, they loved going to big events- they lived a long time as well, around four centuries. They loved people, no matter who they were.” 

Magnus takes another sip of his drink, Alec cataloging everything about the first victim. _Finally_ , they’re getting somewhere. 

Magnus looks up to at them, nothing about his expression hinting at his previous emotions of playful or talkative. His entire persona changes into something more sadistic the more he talks about his friends. 

“Fosa, she was a beacon of light. She wanted to do everything good, help people in need. She has saved more lives in her five hundred years of living than _shadowhunters_ ever will.”

Alec clenches his jaw at that, but he doesn’t say anything. They need the information, and a small insult from Magnus is nothing he can’t handle. 

Magnus continues, “Her death was nothing short of unjust. She deserved- no, _she deserves_ better.” 

“We’ll make sure that she gets it,” Jace says, and Magnus snaps his head up to stare. 

Alec watches his dark expression contort into an astonished one, but disbelieving- as if Jace said it just to humor him. His eyes flicker between the two shadowhunters, but Magnus looks at Alec in the end, focusing on him completely. 

Alec doesn’t squirm under his gaze, but he wants to. The warlock doesn’t stop staring at Alec, and Alec doesn’t know what to do about it, wishes he would set those dark eyes somewhere else but on him. It’s as if he’s trying to figure something out, Magnus’s eyes searching Alec’s face. 

Alec doesn’t want to know what he’s looking for. 

The subtle cough beside them is what they finally breaks their trance, both of them looking at a slightly uncomfortable Jace. The only reason Alec can tell that he’s uncomfortable though is because of the small uptick in his brow.

Magnus’s features are back to normal after that, continuing to talk as if the moment never happened. 

“Sylus was a long acquaintance of mine. He is- was- a very quiet person, came out into the world only every hundred years or so. He had lived the longest out of all of us. He would have been in his nine hundred’s this decade, if I’m not mistaken.” 

Alec thinks that most of this is already in the archives at the Institute, but he takes the information anyways. 

“Do you have all the information you need, shadowhunters?” Magnus asks, mild arrogance seeping back into his voice. Alec wants to rolls his eyes at it. 

“Yes. We have all the information we need on the victims,” Alec says, and Magnus looks at him again. 

“ _People_. Not just victims. I truly hope that you don’t forget that they were people,” Magnus expresses. 

Alec doesn’t say anything, irritated, his energy draining just from talking to Magnus. He's ready to leave. 

Magnus must notice his frustration, letting out a disinterested sigh. Alec feels something slip into his back pocket, and he shifts, getting ready for to attack, until Magnus says, “If you need more information just call next time. I do not like random visits from shadowhunters— it gives my cat migraines,” Magnus smirks, “My card is in your pocket, but please do not call unless it’s important.” 

He flicks his wrists. Alec watches the magic form in his palm, the blue flame swirling through his fingers. He hears the front door open. “Kindly show yourselves out.” 

Alec speedwalks out of the loft, Jace in tow. He doesn’t give the warlock another glance, but he can feel Magnus’s eyes on him- Alec pushes it to the back of his mind though, more important things are at hand. 

\-- 

Magnus watches them leave, the door shutting behind them. He sits down on his couch, Chairman Meow walking over his lap to his pillow, curling into a ball on it. Magnus runs a hand through his fur, and the Chairman meows in response. 

“I know Chairman, they give me headaches, too.” 

The Chairman meows again, purring loudly at Magnus petting him. “It’s a shame though, I think that we will have to see them again.” 

If Magnus had any say in it then they wouldn’t, but then again if he had any say then his friends wouldn’t be dead either. 

Magnus takes a sip of his cherry vodka, the familiar burn running down his throat. It’s the only thing he can feel, the only thing that he wants to feel after hearing about the death of his beloved companions. As if the small burn from the alcohol could put him through an ounce of what they had gone through. 

Magnus thinks back to the latest funeral. Sylus’s funeral. When warlocks discussed going into hiding again. It all brought back a melancholy aura, the way the word ‘hiding’ slipped naturally from their lips. Magnus feels infuriated by it, but tired as well. Tired of seeing and hearing how his kind has to shield themselves from being killed. Tired of the hatred toward his kind. Toward him. 

The shadowhunters aren’t any better. The weird, appalled looks that the oldest Lightwood gave him during the entire interrogation had Magnus disliking him already. Especially after the protectiveness, and dare Magnus say it, _jealousy_ ; over the glance that Magnus gave the blonde shadowhunter. 

Magnus can see an old part of him in Alec. A closeted, fearful side that he hasn’t seen in hundreds of years. There was hate there too, though he should be used to that by now. His fashionable clothes and one night stands are judged often enough. But something about the way Alec looked at him has gotten under his skin. 

Magnus sighs, downing his drink. He knows that this isn’t the last time he’s going to see Alec Lightwood, and he’s dreading every second of it. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s sickening, Magnus can’t go through these threats to his friends, threats to him, again. 
> 
> He finds a spot to portal, opening one immediately and heads quickly through it, looking for the shadowhunters. He spots them, walking over to where he sees Isabelle kneeling on the ground next to-
> 
> Magnus freezes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second chapter!! I'm very sorry for this please don't kill me 
> 
> also, [mia](chairmanmeow-and-church.tumblr.com) is the best person ever!! Thank you so much.

Alec is in his room studying the case files from the previous victims when he hears a knock, followed by the door opening and footsteps against his bedroom floor. 

“Why did you knock if you were going to come in anyways?” Alec asks, looking up from the case files to his sister.

“To be polite, of course,” Izzy grins, leaning on the doorframe. 

Alec set the cases aside, putting them in the folder on his bedside table. “How did the meeting with the Seelies go?” 

Izzy pouts, sighing. “She said that they had no idea it was happening, and frankly she was offended that we thought they would have. I don’t blame her.” 

Alec purses his lips, his eyebrows furrowing. “Well the bodies were found around Seelie grounds and portals, she must know that she would have been questioned about it at least.” 

Izzy shrugs. “It was a dead end though, so unless you want to get in her bad graces then we shouldn’t accuse her of anything,” she says before a smirk plays on her lips, “How did it go with Magnus?” 

Alec rolls his eyes, “A disaster. I don’t want to talk about it.” 

Izzy gives him a curious look, one marked with a question on the tip of her tongue. “Why? What happened?” 

Alec sighs, his shoulders caving in. “He’s so… He’s…” 

Alec can’t find the right words to describe the abnormality that is Magnus. There are too many to describe him, and yet not enough at all. Dramatic, rude, disrespectful, _loud_. Moving in a way that shows dominance anywhere he goes. It’s aggravating. 

 

“He’s what?” Izzy asks after Alec stays silent too long, her smirk growing. Alec narrows his eyes at his sister. 

“He’s just like you- annoying.” 

Izzy arches an eyebrow at him. “Oh I don’t think that’s the right word, dear brother.” 

Alec scoffs. “It is. We didn’t find anything out, either. We should start asking around-”

Alec is cut off by Jace bursting into the Alec’s room. His eyes are wide and wild, his breathing uneven.“Guys--” he grips the doorframe, almost pushing Izzy into the room with the force if it,“there’s another one. On the outskirts of Central Park. Come on.” 

Alec moves with measured determination now, all thoughts lost of the conversation. He follows Clary and Izzy behind Jace, his footsteps matching his heart.

 

\--  
When they get there the surrounding area is completely empty. Looking around at the quietness, Alec wonders how Central Park at night could look like a ghost town, until they get to the body. 

Alec winces, staring at the corpse. The green body is dismembered. Both arms have been cut off, the legs hacked at but not finished, as if the killer had run out of time.His clothes are ruined, shredded down to just cloth draping over him. There’s symbols Alec isn’t familiar with carved into the body’s chest and stomach- Alec winces at how deep they go. His eyes wander to the warlock’s face, seeing blood soaked nubs at the top, where horns should be. He looks around to see if they’re lying around, but he doesn’t find any. 

He notices the gasp behind him, and he turns to see Clary, a tear slipping down her cheek. Izzy looks the same- sorrow, disgust, surprise. Horror etched on their faces as they look down on the body. Alec knows what they’re thinking because he’s thinking it as well. 

_Who could have done this?_

Alec is the first one to move into action, kneeling over to the body carefully. It has no blood surrounding any of the wounds, which is impossible considering how much damage that the victim had been put through. 

“Hey Iz, come here for a second,” he says, turning around to look at them. They are still standing there until he speaks, Izzy coming out of her daze and kneeling across from him down next to the warlock. “Can you tell what the killer used to cut off the arms?” 

She looks at it closer, reaching up to touch it but holds back, realizing she doesn’t have her gloves on. She narrows her eyes at the cuts, searching everywhere over the body. She then turns to look at the arm above the head as well, trying to find anything that could be help identify the method of murder. 

“It all looks very… mundane. Whoever killed this person used regular mundane tools,” She says, her voice weary. “The arm was cut off with a knife- probably a butcher knife,” she moves down toward the legs, “And so were most parts of the legs.” 

“The symbols on the chest though, those were made with something else. I don’t know what they could have used,” she says, frowning at the intrusions.

She turns away then, trying to keep her emotions under control. He can tell that she doesn’t want to cry, the way her lip trembles as she speaks. He watches as she tries to keep her resolve, her lips turning down. 

He looks over the body one more time, sighing. “Jace, Clary, look around the perimeter to for anything unusual.” He brings the card out of his back pocket, already dialing. “I’m going to make a call.” 

\--

Magnus can barely feel his phone vibrating in his back pocket, the sound of music and chatter drowning it out at his club. It’s incessant ringing eventually gets his attention though, and he pulls it out to look at an random number. He walks into a more secluded area, putting up a spell so it’s quiet enough for him to speak. He presses answer. 

“Who dares disturb the High Warlock of Brooklyn?”

He hears a snort at the other end of the line, before a rough voice answers him. “It’s Alec.” 

His whole persona changes then, one not as accommodating. “I thought I told you to call if it’s important, shadowhunter. I’m busy running my club.” 

“It is important, more important than the club you own,” Alec says, disdain in his voice. 

“Well then what is it? You’re wasting my precious time,” Magnus looks at his nails, trying to act disinterested. 

“ _Your precious time?_ I- no. Look. It’s another warlock.” 

Magnus’s stomach sinks at that, his heart fracturing. He’s running through all his friends in his head, where the could be, which one was most vulnerable-

“Come to East 98th, it’s near there.” 

Magnus hangs up after that, rushing to look for a secluded area to open a portal. His distress is overcoming him, engulfing him and all he can think about is who it could be. That another one of his friends could have been murdered. He can’t believe that it’s happening. People- no, _monsters_ are killing warlocks. It’s sickening, Magnus can’t go through these threats to his friends, threats to him, again. 

He finds a spot to portal, opening one immediately and heads quickly through it, looking for the shadowhunters. He spots them, walking over to where he sees Isabelle kneeling on the ground next to-

Magnus freezes. 

He thought he was in London- safe and away from this- Magnus thought he was _safe- this can’t be happening- not to him- not to his his oldest, dearest-_

Magnus stumbles closer, almost tripping. He knows what he must look like, resolve crumbling down, breathing hard, but he doesn’t care. He drops down next to his friend, his hands shaking as Magnus cradles the ghost of what his friend used to be. 

“My dear, little cabbage.” 

His voice breaks, his throat closing and in pain. The tears start pooling in his eyes, but none run down his face. His heart is bleeding, his hands are shaking, his breath rattling in his lungs- he can’t breath in, he _can’t-_

Magnus brings his forehead to Ragnor’s, closing his eyes as he lets out a small, silent sob. Ragnor’s green skin is cold, lifeless. The thought has Magnus shake even harder, barely containing himself. Memories flash through his mind, when they met, in London with Catarina, in Peru, with Raphael, Ragnor scolding him for Paris, Ragnor’s rare smile gracing his features- his warmth familiar in a way that only comes with centuries of time.

Magnus only has memories. Memories of him. The person, someone who has lived longer than Magnus, is only alive now in Magnus’s memories. He will never be able to joke with him, to laugh, to fight, it’s all _gone_ now-

“Can you… Do you know who could have done this?” A hesitant voice asks behind him, but he pays no attention. 

“Leave me,” Magnus whispers, but he hears no footsteps in the grass walking away. 

“We need to know who did this-” 

Magnus turns, finding the source, only to see it’s the shadowhunter he dislikes the most. 

Magnus drops the glamour, revealing his threatening cat eyes, a sneer forming on his lips. “ _Leave._ ” 

Alec doesn’t relent though, his expression changing into one of an irritated determination. “Look, I understand what you’re going through, your friend has died but-”

“You _understand?_ ” Magnus retorts, animosity toward the shadowhunter unfolding in his words.“How could you possibly understand? My _friend,_ the one I’ve known for _hundreds of years_ , was just murdered. How could you understand a lifetime friendship just dying— and only because _he was a warlock._ ” A shadowhunter like Alec would never understand the pain that Ragnor had to go through, the injustice of his life reverted to what he looks like now. “How would you understand _any_ of this?” 

Magnus doesn’t notice his legs stretching, standing up from where he was, pacing toward Alec and voice raising at him. His magic is sparking at his fingers, anger running through his veins. He’s still walking toward him, anger unrelenting as they stand close together.

“Don’t you dare tell me that you understand when you-” Magnus points a finger, blue flames coming out, “-have no idea what I feel.” 

He watches the shadowhunter’s features turn down, looking down on Magnus. His brows are furrowed. He gazes into furious cat eyes and then he looks down at the finger pressed into his chest. He moves Magnus’s finger off of him, glaring at him. 

“Don’t touch me,” Alec says, and Magnus snaps, his whole body going fucking _livid-_

“And you’re right. I don’t understand. What I do understand though,” the shadowhunter says, crossing his arms with a commandatory expression forming, “is that we need to find whoever is doing this. If you’d just listened to me-” 

“ _Listened_ to you? My friend is dead, the last thing I want to do is listen to a shadowhunter giving me commands-” 

“I just want to end this mission so I don’t have to-” 

“ _Enough!_ ” Isabelle yells, and they both stop to look at her.

“Magnus, go to Ragnor. Alec, go help Jace and Clary.” 

Neither of them move, but when she gives them a ‘I will kick both of your asses if you don’t move now’ look, they turn toward their separate ways, grumbling. 

Magnus sighs, the anger and adrenaline draining out of his system as he glances down at Ragnor again. He looks at dear Isabelle, where she wears a sympathetic but not pitying expression. He’s grateful for her, he truly is. 

“I know that you… While I hate to agree with my brother, he is right about this,” She says, wincing at the last part of her words. “But we will do this your way. Whatever we need to do, we will do it.” 

He sighs, but nods. He looks down at Ragnor again, but he looks next to him. That isn’t his Ragnor anymore. That is someone that has his face, his eyes, his hair. But it isn’t him. 

“Can I have a moment alone?” He asks, and out of the corner of his eye he sees Isabelle nod, walking toward the rest of the shadowhunters. 

He sinks down to the ground again, his gaze never leaving the spot his eyes are trained on. 

“I can’t believe this,” Magnus whispers, “You weren’t even supposed to be in New York. You were supposed to be in London, looking over the situation between the vampires and the seelies.” 

Magnus slouches, his hands coming to his lap. He hasn’t felt like this in so long, the pain that comes with losing a part of himself, losing a friend.

“Catarina will be furious, you know. She hated whenever you got yourself into troub-ble,” his voice cracks, tears coming again. 

“But I guess I was the one that always got you in trouble. You always told me to not do the over-frivolous things.” 

Magnus remembers when they went to Paris in the twenties, how he dragged Ragnor to a party that eventually lead them almost getting arrested. The memory only brings pain now, as Magnus’s voice gets hoarse, talking becoming more painful, his throat burning. 

“You weren’t supposed to die. Out of all of us, you were the most cautious. What am I going to do without you?”

 _  
Apparently, ruin your pants. You’re going to get grass stains kneeling down like that._

Magnus laughs, a small and broken one, at the response that Ragnor would have said to him if he were here. His voice is clear in his mind, but he wonders when it won’t be. When he will forget. 

“I…” 

Magnus stops, letting the silence settle over them. There is nothing that he can say, nothing that can fix this. 

He can hear the hustle of New York, the cars honking and people talking. The faint noises of insects, animals in the park that are up too late. He can hear the music from apartments, the planes above them. He can smell the bakery down the street. Everything going on, not stopping for him or Ragnor. The thought has Magnus falling apart all over again, his silent tears slipping down his cheeks and onto the ground. 

He lets the tears flow, knowing that if he represses them then it will hit him later, and he doesn’t think he can handle another onslaught of this. The pain, the heartbreak, the burning. It’s rolling over him in waves, crushing his bones, his mind, his heart.

Magnus looks at Ragnor one more time, his eyes lifeless. He brings a tentative hand over them, closing them so he can finally rest. 

After a couple of minutes he stands up. He goes to wipe his face of any proof of tears. He fixes his coat, his cuffs, putting his defense back up. He breathes in deep, letting go of his emotions for the sake of his friend He’ll help these shadowhunters catch the monster who did this. Magnus turns around to the group of them, walking their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that's it!! next chapter will be next sunday :) 
> 
> I'm at [woodsbane](woodsbane.tumblr.com) on tumblr!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh nothing, Alexander,” Magnus watches the way his jaw clenches and can’t help but smirk.
> 
> Alec turns toward Izzy now, his frown forming. “Why did you tell him my full name?” 
> 
> She shrugs, not giving him an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the wonderful [mia](chairmanmeow-and-church.tumblr.com) <3
> 
> also brief mentions of body gore/violence in the couple first paragraphs!

“Magnus, can you hand me the scalpel on the table over there?” Isabelle asks, as she puts her gloved hand on Ragnor’s chest. Magnus hands it to her blindly, trying not to look at his friend under the flourescent lighting over the table. He tries to look everywhere but at Ragnor, the white walls, the windows, the equipment they have, but eventually his eyes always draw back to Ragnor’s face, pale and cold. 

Isabelle moves around the table, looking further into the cuts on his arms. Magnus watches her instead of focusing on Ragnor, her face drawn into concentration as she analyzes what she sees. “The arms were cut off after death, but the symbols…” She whispers, more to herself as she narrows her eyes down at the cuts. “The horns were cut off while he was alive.” 

Magnus closes his eyes at that, tears forming behind them. Isabelle must notice the state he is in because she speaks up, something not related to Ragnor.

“So, why does my brother not like you?” Izzy questions, and Magnus mentally thanks her for the topic change. Anything to get his mind off of his best friend. 

“Well, I have a theory as to why, but in light of what it might be I'd rather not say,” Magnus says, and Izzy turns around to give him an unimpressed look. As much as he dislikes the man, he’s not about to out him, so to speak.

“Whatever it is, I’m pretty sure I already know,” She huffs, accenting Alec’s name dramatically,” _Alexander Lightwood_ is the absolute worst at keeping secrets.”

“Alexander?” 

“That’s his full name, but he hates it. Our parents are the only ones who use it, which is why he has everyone call him Alec instead. Well, except for when we want to tease him,” she turns back around, her smirk still on her lips as her hands start working once more. 

Magnus catalogs that for later, a smirk forming. He will definitely have to use that to his advantage. 

“You also can’t distract me from the original question, Magnus,” she says, and Magnus makes an impartial look toward her, flitting his hands up dramatically. 

“I think that Alexander,” Magnus ignores the small tingles traveling up his spine at sounding out Alec’s name, “Might be jealous.” 

“Jealous of what?” Alec asks, glaring at Magnus. Magnus doesn’t jump, a four-hundred year old warlock would never, but he does startle a bit turning toward Alec. Magnus didn’t hear him come down the steps or open the door, and he damns the shadowhunter runes that makes them nearly inaudible.

Izzy looks at her brother as he comes in, bringing her hands away from Ragnor’s body. Alec is still glaring at Magnus, his arms crossed and ready for an answer. 

“Oh nothing, _Alexander_ ,” Magnus watches the way his jaw clenches and can’t help but smirk.

Alec turns toward Izzy now, his frown forming. “Why did you tell him my full name?” 

She shrugs, not giving him an answer. His brow furrows more, and Magnus wants to laugh. He and Isabelle have a silent conversation, one that looks like it’s natural for the siblings to have, while Magnus watches, amused. He sees Isabelle confused look at Alec, and Alec just keeps shaking his head. 

Isabelle’s eyebrows raise then, and Magnus guesses she found out something. He doesn’t know what, but before she opens her mouth Alec beats her to it. 

“No, Izzy,” he gives her one last glare, and she resigns. He turns back to Magnus, holding out his hand. 

“This was in the park, and I thought it belonged to him. Here,” Alec hands him a necklace, and Magnus takes a closer look at it. It’s not Ragnor’s but it looks familiar- he doesn’t remember where he’s seen it from. He reaches out to take it, their fingers brushing, and then there is a jump. 

Alec snatches his hand away, staring wide eyed at Magnus for a second before returning to his stoicness, his arms crossing again. Alec looks everywhere but at him, but Magnus dismisses it, looking at the necklace in his hands instead. 

It’s old, the coloring on the jewels diminished, but it’s beautifully intricate in detail. The jade stone in the middle is surrounded by an old victorian styled metal pattern, followed by two dark blue stones on the outside. It has a black tear drop diamond on the bottom.The jewel shimmers. It takes a moment, but when Magnus realizes where he’s seen this before his breath catches. 

“This isn’t Ragnor’s.” 

Alec looks at him with a confused expression, matching Izzy as she looks over at the necklace as well. 

“ _That bastard_ ,” Magnus swears under his breath, clutching at the necklace. His thumb goes over the middle stone, memories flooding his mind of the past. 

“The killer took this from Fosa,” Magnus mumbles, “Whoever did this took the necklace from her and put it there deliberately.” 

“He’s messing with us,” Alec says, and Magnus looks up at him. The determined look he always seems to have, even at the worst of times, is on his face right now. Magnus hates to admit that he admires it. 

“It appears so.” 

“Magnus, can you come here for a second?” Izzy asks, and he turns to her as she waves him over. “Do you know what these symbols mean?” 

Magnus reluctantly glances over, his momentarily forgotten pain returning sevenfold. He chides himself for it, but he pushes past all of it so he can look at Ragnor without breaking down again. 

“This is…,” Magnus stops as he takes in what these symbols actually mean, “This is dark magic. I haven’t seen it in centuries. I didn’t even know people still practiced this type of magic.” 

“Can you figure out what it all means?” Alec asks, and Magnus gives him an offended look. 

“Was that even a question? Of course I can. I just need to go back to my loft to get a book for these particular symbols.” 

Alec rolls his eyes at Magnus, his disinterest growing each minute. “Just figure out whatever you can and call me.” 

Magnus watches as Alec turns around, pushing the door and walking out of the lab. 

\-- 

With each step away from the lab that Alec takes, he feels pain growing- in his bones, his muscles, his heart, it’s everywhere. As if someone keeps punching him, not taking breaks. He eventually has to stop, the pain blurring his vision, and his feet get heavier, his movements slower. All he feels is pain, pain, _pain._

The next step he takes he doubles over, his side hitting the floor, and that makes things worse. He can hear muffled footsteps, his head pounding and heart racing- 

The footsteps come closer, and Alec feels the pain that was overtaking him receding. With each step he hears it slows down, and the pain dulls, until it isn’t there at all. 

As he grabs ahold of himself, standing back up to see who was walking to him, only to see a slightly out of breath Magnus leaning on his sister, who’s supporting most of him. 

“What was that?” Alec asks, staring at the two. 

“I’m not sure- but I need you to hold still,” Magnus says, and Alec can’t believe that Magnus is giving him orders, of all things. 

“What the hell is going on?” Alec snaps, and Magnus sends him an annoyed glare. 

“If you will _stop talking_ and hold still, I can tell you,” Magnus says, and Alec gives in after a minute, staring at the warlock with impatience, “Now, this will not hurt, but I need to do it to see if we have magically bonded together.” 

“Magically _what?_ ” 

But Magnus ignores the question, raising a hand that’s conjuring his magic. He brings it up to Alec’s face. Alec doesn’t flinch, but he almost does. He watches as Magnus makes his magic into a circle, his lips pouting in concentration. Magnus licks his lips as well, going unnoticed by the warlock, but Alec stares at it for no reason at all, his own feeling suddenly dry. 

Izzy makes a sound beside Magnus, and his eyes dart to her as she watches the scene with interest. She gives her brother a pointed look, a smirk playing at her lips. Alec glares at her, their silent conversation from before coming back to mind. How could she possibly think Alec would be attracted to a man like Magnus Bane?

He brings his attention back to the flames coming from Magnus’s skillful hands, how they create a transparent circle, and he sees Magnus through a tint of blue. Alec watches as he guides the circle down, slow and deliberate. Magnus’s eyes dart everywhere over Alec’s body in determination, and when Magnus brings it to his torso Alec sees something on Magnus’s wrist. It’s small, but it looks like a string that's tied around it.

“What’s on your wrist?” Alec asks, and Magnus glances down at Alec’s wrist, nodding to it. 

“The same thing that is on yours,” Magnus says, but he is still moving his magic around to the space between their wrists. Alec sees a white string that is leading from his wrist to Magnus’s own, and it hits him. 

“We’re magically bonded.” Alec stares at the thread, his chest tightening,“Together.” 

Magnus looks away from his magic and at him, a guarded expression taking over his face. 

“Unfortunately, yes, it seems like it.” 

“And judging by what just happened, we can’t stay that far apart?”

Magnus nods as he puts out the last of his magic from his hands.

“Well can you fix it? Undo it or something?” Alec doesn’t let himself panic about it, but it’s there, in the back of his mind. He doesn’t want to me magically bound to anyone, let alone some warlock, and especially not Magnus. He _can’t_ be magically bound to him. 

“You really need to stop asking dumb questions, Alexander,” Magnus says, and Alec really hates his sister for telling him his full name. Everytime he says it like that, rolling each syllable off of his tongue, his voice flowing through his name as if it were water, Alec’s heart does things it’s never done before. He doesn’t know what to do with it, doesn’t want to think about it. 

“I need to workout the magic, see how the killer did this and how they applied it to the necklace. I also need to brew the potion to counteract it, which is all back at my loft.” 

Alec huffs. “Well then come on, let’s go. The sooner we have this thing off the sooner we can catch the killer.”

Magnus looks at him, and Alec watches emotions he can’t name flicker in his eyes. 

Alec turns to Izzy, and her smirk widens. 

“We’ll be back later,” Alec says, his thumb running over the pad of his finger, “And don’t tell Jace. Not yet.” 

Izzy calms, nodding at her brother. 

Alec turns back to Magnus, who is watching him with a curious expression. Alec doesn’t know why he keeps looking at him like that -- it’s infuriating. 

Magnus turns then, snapping his fingers to open a portal. Alec watches the purple shimmer, bathing Magnus in a violet light, stuck staring until Magnus walks through it. Alec breathes, his pounding heart drowned out by his footsteps as he walks in. 

\-- 

Alec looks around the loft, nervous. He doesn’t watch the way Magnus’s fingers flit over his bookshelf, the hands skimming each one as he looks for the book to break this… thing. The bond. Whatever it is. 

Alec doesn’t watch the way Magnus’s hips move, or the fluid footsteps as he walks to the next row. He doesn’t watch the way Magnus purses his lips, his eyebrows furrowing. He doesn’t watch any of this, because Magnus is a warlock and an annoying one at that. 

He watches as Magnus looks and searches, but after he bent down to look at the last row of books on the floor, he comes up empty handed. He turns to look at Alec, cat like. 

“So it appears that the book that I need to break the bond has been… misplaced.” 

Alec narrows his eyes at him, one side of his mouth turning down. “What do you mean misplaced?” 

“It means that the book we need to undo this has been _misplaced_ ,” Magnus says, giving him an unimpressed look. Alec opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. 

He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, controlling his growing anger. “Do you know how to find it?” 

“Yes, I do, but that would require a trip to London and it is,” Magnus glances at the clock in his living room, “three a.m. over there. Not to mention that today has been stressful enough, I don’t want to have to portal there in search of something that could wait until tomorrow.” 

Alec wants to argue, but he can feel his exhaustion coming over him. And he guesses that he can’t actually make Magnus use his magic, or order him around. “...Fine. Tomorrow.” 

“Now, if you will excuse me I am going to get ready for bed,” Magnus says, walking toward what Alec guesses is his bedroom. Alec shifts, but doesn’t feel pain. An idea comes to mind.

“Wait.” 

Magnus turns around, an indifferent and tired expression on his face as he looks at Alec. 

“Where do I.. Can I... “ Alec fumbles over his words, but Magnus seems to know what he’s trying to say. 

“You can sleep on the couch, if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

Alec shifts on his other foot, glancing at the couch over Magnus’s shoulder. He looks back at Magnus, the glitter eyeliner shining in the light. They stand there awkwardly for a moment, the silence taking over until Magnus speaks up again, “Well, I’m going to bed.”

He walks past him, and Alec smells the scent of lavender rolling over him in waves. It’s different from what he thought Magnus would smell like. If he actually thought about it at all, that is. 

Alec walks over to slump on the couch then, kicking off his shoes and laying on his back.

He can’t believe that he has to be stuck with Magnus of all people.

He sighs, rolling over to his side, trying to turn his depraving thoughts off to go to sleep. 

The sound of running water and humming finally lulls him to sleep, his eyes drooping closed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry,” he says, and Magnus stops, his back to Alec, “about your friend.” 
> 
> Magnus doesn’t look at him, but Alec sees his profile over his shoulder. He looks stiff, stunned and somehow uncomfortable. Yet even as Magnus turns to face him slightly, Alec can’t see any recognition in his face before he’s turning back to his door. 
> 
> “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [mia](chairmanmeow-and-church.tumblr.com) is the lord and savior, go thank her :)

Alec wakes up to the echo of whispering voices. 

The sound of cabinets closing, the small sputtering of coffee, and hushed tones between two people has Alec coming out of unconsciousness. When Magnus starts talking it’s the only thing he focuses on. 

“I’m afraid it is like last time, Catarina. Someone out there is targeting warlocks.” 

Alec hears a woman’s voice-- Catarina-- respond with barely restrained rage, “Then why haven’t you woken up the shadowhunter, yet? If what you say about the bond is true, then you should wake him up immediately. The faster we can get to Ragnor’s to break it, the faster we can make safehouses for the rest of the warlocks.” 

Alec can’t see them, but the slight hesitation on Magnus’s part is alarming, the silence in the moment ringing throughout the entire room. 

“Ragnor is… “ 

Catarina lets out a gasp. It’s the last thing that Magnus says before Alec hears shifting, moving, and a quiet sob. Alec feels it from here. 

He sits up on the couch, the sound of grief resonating through the loft- Alec remembers the same reaction that Magnus gave when he saw his friend lying lifeless on the ground. Alec hasn’t lost anyone close to him, but the way Magnus crumbled, his annoying persona changed into something that wasn’t practiced- something more real. Alec realizes that he may have pushed a little when he should not have. He doesn’t want to admit it outloud, but the night could have gone better. Alec could have given Magnus his space- he could have at least said he was sorry.

He hears a _pop_ , like a portal opening, and then more whispers. 

“After I break this senseless bond, I’ll come to you immediately,” Magnus , and Alec guesses that Catarina nods because he doesn’t hear an answer, but a whoosh and another _pop._

Alec runs a hand over his face, wishing he had some coffee, the sound of footsteps coming near him. 

“Did you like overhearing my conversation?” 

Alec snaps up at the accusation, Magnus’s dark expression coming into view. Alec falters, his mouth opens as Magnus’s eyes flicker toward his lips. Alec knows he must look ridiculous, but something about Magnus takes his words away from him, and he can’t help it. It’s irritating, and Alec wishes his brain would work when he’s around the warlock. 

“I… Uh…” is all Alec says, and Magnus turns around, walking toward his bedroom. 

“So, I’m fairly certain the book we need is in London, so we’re going there as soon as I change,” Magnus mumbles. 

Alec’s brain finally catches up to his mouth, stuttering over his words. “I’m sorry,” he says, and Magnus stops, his back to Alec, “about your friend.” 

Magnus doesn’t look at him, but Alec sees his profile over his shoulder. He looks stiff, stunned and somehow uncomfortable. Yet even as Magnus turns to face him slightly, Alec can’t see any recognition in his face before he’s turning back to his door. 

“Thanks.” 

\-- 

“So how does this whole… _thing_ work?” Alec asks, the busy streets of London almost drowning him out. 

They portaled to London that morning, the crowded street coming to view, and rain falling down on them. Seeing Magnus pelted by rain had certainly been a sight to see, even if it had been only been for the duration of time it’d taken him to conjure an umbrella, but Alec couldn’t help noticing the way he scrunched his eyebrows and the small pout- it was all very _human._

Alec knows that downworlders are actually people, but sometimes he… forgets. Most shadowhunters treat downworlders as if they’re tools, as if shadowhunters are entitled to their magic, their spaces, and their time. And even though Alec has been guilty of treating them like that sometimes, he’s trying to be better about it. He knows the way his people treat downworlders is wrong. And with his mother’s incessant dislike of them, and living constantly with other shadowhunters, he forgets that warlocks and vampires and werewolves and Seelies can be _people._ That Magnus isn’t just a warlock. He’s human, too. 

The were walking across the street, Magnus grumbling about defense magic and the line ‘extra precaution my ass’ coming out as clear as day, when Alec asks the question. Magnus only looks at him for a second, clutching the umbrella before they walk onto the sidewalk near, what Alec guesses, is Ragnor’s apartment building. 

“It’s complicated magic, what this person is doing. I haven’t seen it used in over three centuries at least, ever since the salem witch trials caused an outbreak of this sort of spell,” he starts, and Magnus pushes open the entrance of the apartment building. Alec looks at it with only mild interest, listening to Magnus talk as they walk forward to the elevator. 

“Around a couple of hundred years ago Ragnor lended me the _Akakios Grimoire_ , which is the journal that Akakios- a warlock notorious for his line of work- made. It’s the inner and outer workings of all spells linked to the more demonic side of magic. I never studied it extensively, but I do know,” Magnus looks around, and Alec follows his gaze to the mundane- no, the seelie- that’s coming out of the elevator, and they both walk in and close the elevator before Magnus continues, “That it deals with blood magic, along with necromancy. There is more to it, but whoever is doing this must be very well adept to it. The symbols on,” he coughs, looking uncomfortable, “Ragnor’s body are part of a ritual that deals with this.” 

“Blood magic? Necromancy?” 

Magnus nods, continuing on. “What the killer did to bind us together though, it’s more of a…” he flicks his wrist as he tries to find the right word, “subset of this kind of magic. It doesn’t take all of _that,”_ he says, referring to the more nefarious part of the magic, “but it’s the same concept. We can’t be too far apart or else it will cause us both immense pain, and you have to have something to link us together. I can go more into detail when I have the-” 

Alec looks over to Magnus as he stops himself mid sentence, a curious expression washing over him. 

“The what?” 

“.... the grimoire.” 

He stops talking, lost in thought. Alec studies him for a second. Magnus’s face draws in concentration, the scrunched brows and pursed lips standing out as they shift on his face. Alec was going to ask him what he was thinking about, but the elevator pings, snapping Magnus out of his thoughts. 

“Well, follow me.” 

Alec does, walking behind Magnus as he moves into the hallway with grace. 

Alec sees something shimmering ahead of them, and he looks at Magnus raising his hands, blue flames surrounding them, and Magnus sends a couple of shots through what appears to be a force field shielding the door at the end of the hallway. It cracks, the shimmering falling into a staccato flash, before the entire thing breaks, like glass. 

“He always liked having his home heavily guarded.” Magnus says with a fond look on his face, “and since you’re a shadowhunter, you probably would have not been able to get in.” 

Magnus waits for Alec to say something, but Alec doesn’t know what to say to that so he follows Magnus inside the loft. 

It’s big, filled to the brim with trinkets and books and art.Alec is fascinated by all of it. He guesses that after hundreds of years collecting this stuff, Ragnor must have over a thousand books in the entire apartment. 

“How will we get through all of this?” Alec asks, lifting a book off of one of the many stacks surrounding the loft. 

“Oh no, we don’t have time for that,” Magnus goes farther into the mountain of books, and Alec follows him so he doesn’t lose Magnus. “I’m going to track the grimoire.” 

“With what exactly?” 

Magnus doesn’t respond, only moving through the apartment with flourish, his blue nails flitting in the air with ease. 

Alec feels a buzz come from his pants, and he brings his phone out to see who texted him. 

_Hey, just want you to know that mom’s here._

It takes all of Alec’s willpower to not outwardly groan at the text his sister sent him. Because of the best timing options that his mother could have come to the institute, now is the time she chose. 

He sends her a quick ‘thanks’, pocketing his phone Then he looks over at Magnus. He’s holding a colorful bookmark, his face scrunched up in concentration. Alec thinks it’s a little cute--like objectively thinking--like the expression is cute, not the person it’s coming from or anything--

The book stack he’s leaning on falls, and he catches himself in record time before Magnus opens his eyes to see the disaster happen. 

Magnus’s eyes flicker to the fallen books on the floor and then to Alec, an eyebrow arched. 

“Please, don’t wreck the place. It doesn’t need the help.” 

Alec nods, cooling his expression and trying to make a coherent sentence, “Um, yeah. I can do that.” 

Alec watches the slightest upturn of the warlock’s lips, before pocketing the bookmark in his waistcoat pocket. 

“The grimoire isn’t here, either. I tracked it back to Brooklyn before I was cut off. Something’s blocking its location,” Magnus huffs, an exasperated sound escaping him, “It shouldn’t be possible- someone blocking me off in _my_ city-” 

“So the book isn’t here?” 

Magnus looks back at Alec, the abrupt sound of his voice stopping his train of thought. “Like I said, it’s somewhere in Brooklyn.” 

“And you don’t know where it is in Brooklyn?” 

Magnus gives him an unimpressed look. “If I did know then we wouldn’t be here, Alexander.”

Alec rolls his eyes at sarcasm in his name. “Great.”

He brings his hands together, rubbing his thumb in the middle of the other hands palm, suddenly nervous. 

“Well my mother is at the institute.” 

Magnus waits, making a movement with his hand in a ‘continue’ motion. 

Alec sighs, apprehension building. “We need to go see her. As soon as possible, really.” 

Magnus waits a moment, his inquisitive expression turning into one of annoyance.

“Well, can’t Maryse wait an hour or two? I have plans that I need to take care of, safe houses to make-” 

“Okay but I need to report to my mother about all the recent stuff that’s happened for the case-” 

“I have a meeting with Lucian Greymark and Raphael Santiago this afternoon, I can’t sit at the institute and wait for you to be done-” 

Alec groans, the back and forth wearing him out already, cutting Magnus off.

“ _Wait,_ just... hold on for a second.” stops moving his thumb in his palm, bringing one of his hands to run over his face, forming a plan in his head. “Look, I don’t know how long we’re going to be stuck together,” Alec starts, “So how about we compromise.”

“Compromise,” Magnus says, and the way his lips form the word has Alec distracted for a moment before getting back to the topic.

“Yes. We portal to the Institute, I run in, get a change of clothes and talk to my mother. No more than thirty minutes, then we can get to your meeting or whatever.” 

Magnus glances at him, the suggestion rolling in his mind. 

“Alright, we can compromise,” Magnus says, his hand coming up to point at Alec, ”but I am _not_ staying at the institute, and I’m pretty sure that your shadowhunters would rather I not be there, anyway,” Alec rolls his eyes at that, “I can make some accommodations for you at my loft until I can break whatever magic is blocking my tracking spell.” 

Alec’s first instinct is to protest- he’s never lived outside the institute let alone lived with someone else- but _compromise_. He can compromise. Even if it seems like it’s starting to turn into a bad idea. 

“Fine.” 

Magnus conjures a portal then, and they both walk through it to go to the institute.

\---

Magnus looks at the many shadowhunters moving around like ants, carrying weapons and tablets and whatever else shadowhunters use. It hasn’t changed since the last time he put up wards, but Magnus doesn’t really care. He just follows the shadowhunter through the chaos that is this place, coming to a stop as they enter the weapons area. 

He notices Maryse having a discussion with Isabelle when they both spot Alec, and then himself. Magnus wants to roll his eyes at the heated glare Maryse gives him. This will _certainly_ be a delight. 

“Alec, I was wondering where you were,” Maryse starts, her heels clicking as she walks forward, “And I see you brought… a warlock with you.” 

“I’ll just, be over there,” he says, pointing toward the staircase at the end. He doesn’t have time to hear the insults she’s sure to give him.

He sees Alec nod, and he turns around to walk down the steps, their voices being drowned out by the masses of shadowhunters talking everywhere else. 

Magnus hardly notices the pointed looks people are giving him, having dealt with it in the past. He just sighs, bored. He knows the compromise is necessary since he can’t track the book - and he’s still annoyed by the fact that someone could block _his_ magic- but when he’d agreed, he hadn’t actually thought about everything he’d have to do, trips to the godforsaken Institute included. 

“Did he do this?” Magnus hears, and his gaze is directed back at the trio, Maryse’s voice growing louder. 

“No, he didn’t.” Magnus’s eyes jump to Alec, surprised by the strength in his voice. The hands clasped behind his back are rigid, the grip turning his skin white. Now that Magnus actually looks at him, his whole stance is defensive, even with his shoulders slouching.

“How could you let this happen?” Maryse starts again, and Alec slouches even more. “Why weren’t you more careful?” 

“It’s not like he could’ve known, mom. He was doing what he was supposed to do,” Isabelle counteracts, taking the heat off of her brother. It looks like Alec shifts, relaxes at the defense his sister gives him, but Maryse snaps her head to her daughter, the glare prominent. 

“This isn’t about you, Isabelle,” Izzy tries to speak again, but Maryse turns her head back to Alec, “When did this happen?” 

“Yesterday. I was looking around the scene of the last death and found a necklace. When I gave it to Magnus the spell activated and it linked us together.” 

“So it was his fault then?” 

“What?”

“He must’ve known what the necklace could do.” 

Magnus watches as Alec’s hands behind his back fist tighter and Magnus kind of feels sorry for the man. To endure the wrath of Maryse Lightwood is a formidable trait to have. 

Maryse narrows her eyes at Magnus then, and Magnus is caught staring at the scene before him. He gives her a wave with a smirk, and she bristles, her anger growing. 

“Just, do whatever needs to be done to have this over as quickly as possible. The the sooner you get this case out of the way, the less time you need to be around him and the less you have to go deal with his hedonistic and careless tendencies.” 

She struts past them without giving them a moment to answer, and Alec actually slumps, turning around and keeping his head down. He walks down the stairs, Isabelle in tow, and Magnus reluctantly follows them as they talk. 

“You know you can stand up to her, right?” 

“Not now, Izzy.” 

They round a corner into a more secluded area, but their voices raise as they walk.

“Alec come on, you _know_ that what she was saying wasn’t right- hell, it didn’t even make any sense-” 

Alec turns to give her a withering stare, one filled with a coldness, and Isabelle huffs, crossing her arms. 

“You know I’m right. Why can’t you just admit it?” 

“I’m leaving.”

Alec resumes walking, leaving Magnus and Izzy behind. 

Izzy grunts. “I just don’t understand him sometimes,” she says, “He knows that our mom is unfair to him, but he won’t _do_ anything about it!” 

“Well, as they say, heavy is the head that wears the crown.” 

She turns to him then, giving him a small grin. “I know, it’s just… he deserves to be treated better.” 

Magnus doesn’t know what to say to that, having only met the shadowhunter a day ago, but the determined and sad look in her eyes Isabelle speaks has Magnus believing it. 

“Well, I have to go, but I’ll see you soon okay?” 

“Of course, Isabelle.” 

Magnus grins at her and she reciprocates it, before leaving him in the hallway by himself.

Magnus walks until he is in the room Alec had turned into. The room is totally bare. Yet the vacant walls, dresser and bed aren’t what catch his eye. It’s the angry shadowhunter stomping angrily at his dresser and angrily packing. While Magnus shouldn’t find it endearing in the least, because obviously Alexander has been dealing with his mother’s disappointment his whole life, he can’t help but look at the scene with a small, disbelieving smile. There is a tenseness in the way the shadowhunter storms around the room, and Magnus thinks that his mother’s words get to him on such a personal level- it’s weird. Magnus is used to the stoic, robotic side of shadowhunters that don’t show emotions. Well, they show one emotion- it’s usually something between disgust or dislike. 

But Alec, he’s… different. They got off to a bad start, no doubt, but the apology this morning seemed sincere, and Alec standing up for him against Maryse’s accusation… And the compromise conversation threw him off, more than anything. Shadowhunters never do compromises unless it’s for their benefit. Alec had done it because he knows that Magnus is busy, and is an important part of the downworld. Magnus hasn’t met a shadowhunter that would actually consider downworlders before themselves in a long time- besides Isabelle, of course. 

So when Magnus enters his room he doesn’t comment on the bland decor. He doesn’t comment on the fact that most of Alec’s clothes are black. He surprises himself, instead. 

“Not to overstep any boundaries, but I do believe that your sister may have the right idea.” 

It looks like Alec doesn’t pay attention to him, but he stops packing for a brief moment, his entire back gone even more rigid. 

“I have unfortunately been on the other side of your mother’s… conversations, to put it lightly. But even I know that some of the things she had said to you didn’t make sense.” 

“I have had the unfortunate experience of being on the receiving end conversations similar to the one you just shared with your mother, and I can tell you,” “When someone talks down to another like that, it often has more to do with the speaker’s own insecurities rather than any deficiencies in the receiving party.”

Alec just scoffs, throwing the last of his stuff into the small bag on his bed. “Are you ready? The thirty minutes are almost up.” He turns around, his face like stone, his bag gripped tightly at his side. Magnus doesn’t let the small gleam of sadness come over him, instead plastering a light hearted expression on his face.

“Fine, let’s go then, Alexander.” 

For the first time, Magnus doesn’t use his name as something to annoy him. And he thinks Alec notices it, if his momentarily surprised expression is anything to go by.

“Ah, you're not going anywhere just yet,” someone says, and a the shadowhunter that is the clear target of Alec’s affection stands in the doorway, blocking it. “No calls? Texts? When were you going to tell me you were here?” 

The blond flicks his eyes to Magnus, nodding his head, “Magnus.” 

“John.” 

Jace gives him an incredulous look, before he turns back to Alec as Alec talks. 

“I was going to call you later.” 

“So when is ‘later’? Because I had to find out that you and Magnus got bonded together, or something, from mom a minute ago, and you’ve been in this situation for how long? And you didn’t tell me?” 

“Look, I’ll call you when he goes to his meeting and explain everything, alright?” 

Jace gives him an accusing look, and side eyes Magnus for a second, but he gazes back at Alec, worried and fond written all over his face. 

“Don’t leave anything out, or I’m making you do my kitchen cleaning for a month.”

“ _You_ don’t even do your cleaning.” 

“I’m serious, I’ll make you do it if you don’t call me.” 

“I will.” 

Magnus notices the soft tone in Alec’s voice, and he looks over to see him with a faint smile. His posture isn’t as adamant, either. All with a conversation and a threat of chores. Magnus’s heart squeezes a little, an emotion he doesn’t want to recognize washing over him. He pushes it down- there’s more important things he needs to focus on, not this thing that he doesn’t want to- doesn’t need to recognize. 

But the sight on Alec’s face, his upturned lips and fond eyes, Magnus wonders if it might be too late already.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec looks into Magnus’s eyes, the deep brown that reminds Alec of warmth as they look back to him. He realizes that he may be looking a little too long, by the way Magnus is looking at him, the small upturn of his lips and softness in his features starting to show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS FINALLY HERE im so sorry about the wait tbh, life got in the way
> 
> so luke and raphael are officially here, and I'm planning to have Luke be a very important person in this fic. Who's excited??
> 
> Wonderful beta, @chairmanmeow-and-church on tumblr, everyone should thank her (and read her fic)   
> also thank you @lukegarrowwayisamaincharacter, for she has helped me characterize luke pretty accurately :)

“So, what’s new with everyone?” Luke asks, sitting down at Magnus’s dining table. Magnus always liked the fact that Luke is open with him and Raphael, who is sitting there as well, and the fat that he’s never afraid to jump right in. He probably has to deal with these types of meetings at his work, but Magnus was never to fond of the inner workings of the police. The concept? Great. But the way it’s being handled? Not so much. 

“The Seelies came by today, snooping around,” Raphael starts

Luke just rolls his eyes.“You always think someone is snooping,” he says, and Raphael sends him an annoyed stare, but it doesn’t have any heat behind it. 

“Whatever. I sent them off before they woke the others. _No_ respect.” Raphael shakes his head, grumbling. 

“Don’t let Meliorn here you say that.” Magnus smirks.

“Meliorn doesn’t need to know anything, Magnus,” Raphael bites back, almost like a five year old would. 

“And you?” Luke says as he turns to Magnus, cutting off their bickering.

“Yeah, what’s with the shadowhunter?” Raphael asks, his tired and cold voice radiating. Magnus glances back to the living room where Alec is sitting. His eyes are downcast, shoulders hunched over, speaking in a low voice into his phone. 

“Well, to answer your questions, I would have to go back to the ‘beginning’, to really explain,” Magnus says, looking at Raphael next to him. 

When Magnus had told Raphael about Ragnor, he took it hard. He wasn’t his usual grumpy and disinterested self. He was just… silent. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe. Magnus tried to do something, comfort him or anything that could have helped, but none of it worked. Magnus hated that he couldn’t do anything for him, couldn’t comfort him, not like Ragnor could. 

Magnus shares a look with Raphael, a silent apology for needing to re-tell the story for Luke’s sake.

“I’m going to get something to drink.” Raphael gets up from the table and walks to the kitchen, where neither Luke or himself can see Raphael. Magnus looks at the fleeting image of him with worry, but he snaps back to Luke. 

“So, I don’t know if Clary told you, but someone is hunting and killing warlocks,” Magnus starts, and he can see the way Luke’s brow furrows, his investigative expression forming, “and the shadowhunters asked for my help, .” 

“Alec called me when they found…” Magnus has to take a breath as the words form in his mouth, “Ragnor, in Central Park.” 

Luke gives him a soft, sorrowful look. It’s not pity, no, but one that understands. 

“We went back to the institute for an autopsy when Alec handed me a necklace, one the killer planted there, and we became magically linked together because it was charmed.” 

“Dios, I would feel pity for you, but I don’t really feel like it,” Raphael says as he enters the dining room again, and Magnus rolls his eyes at the smirk that barely comes across Raphael’s face. 

“Yes, it would certainly be unfortunate if you expressed emotions, Rapha.” 

Luke laughs, their banter lightening the mood slightly. Magnus goes back into explaining. “We’ve tried to track the book that holds the potion to break it,” he feels his face turn down to a scowl, “but for some ungodly reason, my magic is blocked from tracking it.” Magnus is still bitter, and he probably won’t ever stop being bitter. 

Luke studies him for a moment “Do you need any help?” 

“Luke,” Magnus raises his brow, looking down at him good-naturedly, “in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve helped whether I needed it or not, and I’m grateful for that. It’s not like I could stop you from doing it, now.”

“Hey, I don’t help _all_ the time. I do have work and my life to think about,” Luke defends. 

Magnus gives him a look, one that says _really._ “The more important question is, do you actually want to help? Because, as you said, you have work and family.” 

“I’m a cop. I help people in need, and especially a whole group that is being targeted. _Of course_ I want to help.”

Magnus is honestly, truly grateful to have Luke as a friend. He gives Luke a wide smile. “Thank you, Luke.”

Luke reciprocates, nodding his head at Magnus, until they both hear a scoff from Raphael rolling his eyes at the two. 

“Anyway, do you have any details about this case?” Luke asks.

“Alec knows most of it,” Magnus says, getting up and walking to the doorway to where Alec is sitting on the couch, “Can you come in here? Luke wants to ask you a couple of questions.” 

Alec looks up at him and nods, standing and walking over to where they are all sat. He sits down next to Luke, and Magnus sits back in his chair at the head of the table. 

Magnus watches as Luke asks Alec question upon question, gathering information about the case, along with Magnus’s input. They both bounce off each other, ideas and leads floating around the room for an hour, at most. Eventually Luke asks if Magnus can conjure up a _whiteboard_ , along with some expo markers, needing a way to show the information they gather. 

Once Magnus really thinks about it, he can start to see the similar traits in both Alec and Luke. He hasn’t known Alec for long, but they both have a quiet, but compelling presence. A silent leadership. From the years he’s known Luke he picked up on it right away. When Luke enters a room everyone turns to him and they _listen._ He’s a leader. He’s grown from his past, the prejudice that the circle held completely gone from him now. He’s a leader that people look up to. 

And Alec. Outside the overbearing presence of his parents, Magnus knows he’s a leader too. The way he holds himself, the way he walks and how he does things- it’s there, hiding just underneath the surface. 

Unlike Luke, Alec doesn’t have the years of experience. He’s still learning. But Magnus knows that Alec is going to be a leader, someday; probably as the acting head of the Institute. 

He doesn’t know what to think of that. 

Eventually, Raphael leaves with a grumbled goodbye, bored and having more important things to do at the hotel, and that leaves Magnus alone with Luke and Alec. 

“So, by now we’ve figured out that the killer is looking for something. He’s taken each warlock mark from his victims- that’s a pattern,” Luke explains, drawing three red lines over the board. Magnus should have been more interested in the color coding of it all, but he gets the gist. “And we know that the killer doesn’t kill anyone under three hundred years old.” 

“But we don’t know that he hasn’t killed anyone else yet. Maybe we just haven’t found the bodies,” Alec adds, looking at Luke from the table.

“Actually, I do know that,” Magnus says, and two pairs of eyes skip over to him. “All magic is linked together. More experienced warlocks that have studied it in the Spiral Labyrinth, like myself, can tell if someone has died by their magic.” 

“Wait, that place is real?” Alec asks, almost in disbelief. Magnus turns to him a small, cocky smirk on his face. 

“Only to warlocks, shadowhunter.” 

Alec rolls his eyes at that. 

“But this Spiral Labyrinth place, you said you studied there?” Luke asks.

“Yeah, I have. Why?” 

“Did any of the others go there at some point?” 

Magnus’s brows furrow in themselves as he thinks about it for a second. “Now that I think about it, they have, at some point or another. They never lived or studied there at the same time, but yes, they did.”

“Another pattern,” Luke says, drawing another line across the board. “That makes three.”

Alec looks at him then, his expression guarded. The way the hazel shines, pupils darting over Magnus’s face has him curious. Magnus wants to know what the look is about but then Luke yawns, loud and and tiring. “I’m going to go get some coffee, you guys want any?” 

“Nonsense, I’ll get us some coffee,” Magnus says, already starting to make the motion with his fingers.

“ _No_ , Magnus. I’m getting coffee and _paying_ for it.” 

“I _was_ going to pay,” Magnus says in a slightly offended tone. Luke doesn’t believe him though, just shaking his head as he walks toward the door. 

“Bring me back a mocha frappe please!” Magnus yells as the door shuts, leaving Magnus and Alec alone. 

\---

Alec watches the way Magnus slouches for a second, the fabric around his biceps straining, and Alec coughs a little, dispelling them out of their minute of awkward silence. 

“I’m just going to go and call-” 

Alec is disrupted by a phone blasting through the apartment, both of them jumping a little. 

“It seems that we both have to make calls,” Magnus says, answering the phone. “Hello? Ah yes, hello Frank.” 

Alec shakes his head and goes back to the living room, standing by the bookcases as he takes his phone out to call Jace. 

“Alec?” Jace’s voice comes a little staticy over the phone, which means he and Izzy and Clary are probably on their way to a mission. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” 

“No, nothing’s wrong. Is everybody there? I have some new leads.”

“Hold on a sec,” Jace says, before the sound of movement and shuffling goes through the phone before Jace comes through the speaker. “Alright, everyone can hear you now.” 

His eyes wander over all the books haphazardly, not really paying attention Most of them look to be in different languages, some demonic. He looks at all them, and vaguely realizes that Magnus has read all of these at some point. Maybe even wrote some of them. “Luke figured out some stuff about the case,” Alec says, “there are three patterns- the killer takes warlock marks, he never kills anyone under three hundred years old, and all of his victims have lived in the Spiral Labyrinth at some point.” 

Alec gives them a moment to take the information in.

Clary speaks next, “So now we need a plan.”

Magnus comes into the room then, Alec startling a little. As he walks towards the door, Magnus shouts into his phone, “No, Frank, I can’t do it at your place right now. I have a problem that hasn’t been settled yet, which means that unless you come over and we can perform the ceremony- How about Wednesday?” 

Alec doesn’t pick up the rest of what he says, hearing the clinking of bottles and something bubbling, and a grumbling sound that doesn’t sound too appealing coming from the room he just walked in. 

“I think that the plan right now is for Magnus and I to get this bond off of us, before we do anything else. But if you three can look for a few leads about the murders...” Alec says, taking tentative steps toward the room Magnus walked in.

“You should probably do it sooner than later Mom is still here,” Izzy says, muffled by distance. 

Alec groans inwardly, his mother is another thing that is adding to his never ending list of worries. 

“Great,” he says rounding a corner to follow Magnus to wherever he’d gone. The room he enters seems to be some sort of potion room. It’s a busy scene, things flying everywhere and Magnus flipping through a small book with a frantic pace, hovering over the pot in the middle of the room. “Listen, Frank, unless you’d like to-, will you listen to me for one moment, I do believe that we can work something out-” 

“Call me if you find anything new, okay?”” Alec says, a little dazed at the sight before him. 

“Be careful, bro,” Jace says, Izzy saying ‘ditto’ faintly in the back, Clary agreeing too. 

“You too, hold down the institute for me until I get back.” 

With that, he pockets his phone after hanging up, really taking in the entire room, and most of all, Magnus. 

There are bottles and flasks flying everywhere, three walls stocked to the ceiling with shelves filled with plants and potions and other things he doesn’t know what to call-- something is crawling in the corner, and he thinks that maybe he doesn’t really want to know. 

The cauldron in the middle looks a little cliche, but it’s sleek and black and by now that’s Magnus’s thing, stylizing anything he has, There’s something purple bubbling in it, fumes emitting, curling around Magnus. 

Magnus himself is speaking into his phone that’s tucked under his ear and against his shoulder, holding the book in one hand and making colorful liquids pour into the cauldron with the other, mixing it until it turns a bright green. 

“Yes, yes, we can do it on Wednesday, Frank, but you do anything outside the rules then you’re out. No refund.” 

Magnus sighs, and now he has Alec’s full attention, looking at him in a different light. He’s working, something that he does everyday. This, this is all Magnus. The busy potion room, the snappy phone call, the styled cauldron that reflects his own clothes and his whole personality.

The drawn in brows, the down turn of his lips, the angry flick of his wrist as he stirs the potion in agitation--Alec watches it all with reverence. 

“So this is… work?” Alec asks, throwing his hands up a little to indicate everything surrounding Magnus. 

Magnus looks up at him, a little surprised before calming his expression, answering, “Oh it’s a little of this, little of that. Demon summonings and potions and what not. It’s all _very_ fascinating,” the amount of sarcasm Magnus puts into that last sentence has Alec rolling his eyes at him, and walking toward the cauldron to look inside, curious. 

“Ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Magnus says, walking over to the books on a wall that isn’t covered in plants and potions, behind Alec. 

“What is it?” Alec says, leaning back to look at the purple fumes swirling to the ceiling. 

“A love potion. One of my clients needed one in a hurry, so I whipped one up,” he says, and Alec turns around to look at him.

Magnus turns around, too, book in hand and Alec eyes go a little wide at the close proximity between them.

“The fumes alone can intoxicate you. Make you fall in love with the first person you see,” Magnus explains, looking up at Alec with a glint in his eye. For some reason Alec can’t look away.

Alec looks at him, really looks at him. The perfected makeup and the green highlights. The slight glossy look on his lips, how they shine from the dimming light outside the window. The way the muscles in his neck moves, shifting. 

“Oh.” 

He looks into Magnus’s eyes, the deep brown that reminds Alec of warmth as they look back to him. He realizes that he may be looking a little too long, by the way Magnus is looking at him, the small upturn of his lips and softness in his features starting to show. Alec wonders if he breathed in some of the fumes, the weird feeling in his chest growing the longer he gazes at Magnus. 

“I brought you your mocha frappe!” Luke yells, entering the apartment. It breaks both Alec and Magnus from their weird daze.

Magnus exits the potion room in a hurry, going to Luke with a smile on his face, and Alec watches him leave. He doesn’t stop until Magnus is out of sight, because Alec wants to make sense of what just happened. Or was there anything to make sense of? Granted, they may have stared at each other a little too long, but that happens. Stuff like that happens. There is nothing to make sense of. Not the tight feeling in his chest, or the way Magnus’s eyes looked in the dimming sunset. Nothing to worry about. 

Alec breathes, the sound of the bubbling potion coming to his ears, and he watches as the fumes swirl at a slow pace, rising in soft spirals towards the ceiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you sooooo much for reading!!!!!! My tumblr is @woodsbane if you want to yell at me about malec :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 6 IS HERE.  
> and on this note, since school is about to start I don't know when chapter 7 will be up BUT I will try to find time for it!!!! 
> 
> wonderful Mia (@chairmanmeow-and-church) for making time to beta, she is always our savior.

The three of them had been sitting around the table for another hour, pouring over the notes they gathered on the case and getting stuck from the lack of information, when Luke and Alec’s phones both light up. 

Alec looks down at his. There’s text message from Izzy, reading _Come to Alley Park in Queens. Heavy magic detected._

Alec looks back up at Magnus, ready to tell him they need to go, but Luke beats him to it. 

“Magnus, can you portal me to Alley Park? I just got a text from Alaric saying I need to get there, and quick,” Luke says as he looks up from his phone. 

“I have to go there, too,” Alec interjects, and the way Magnus’s expression grows dark, it’s clear he can tell something is up. “Izzy found something.”

With a snap of his fingers, there’s a purple portal up and shimmering. They all walk through it, eyes straight ahead and hurrying.

What they come to is a bright, _bright_ light. It almost blinds them all, and Alec instinctively grabs for a bow that isn’t there. He can't believe he left it at the institute. He reaches for his seraph blade instead, ready to fight the influx of demons that appear out of nowhere, heading straight toward them. 

He attacks it head on, but it blazes up in a fire and crumbles to ash before he can even take a swipe, and he turns around to see Magnus, shrugging with a small, cocky smirk on his lips. “Demons are just so pesky.” 

“Alec!”

Alec looks toward the area he heard his name, and sees Jace, Izzy, and Clary all fighting demons, with some coming closer toward him. He still can’t tell where the light in front of him is coming from, and they're are too many demons for them to get close to even see the source of it. He even hears werewolves fighting off in the distance because of how many demons there are. Everything is absolute _chaos._

Alec and Magnus run over to Izzy, Jace, and Clary. Izzy throws him his bow and arrow, thankful for his sister for a moment before he gets to work. 

“We got here five minutes ago and-” Jace says, pausing for a second to stab his seraph blade into the nasty looking demon, “-we got bombarded!” 

“Already getting _tired_ , Jace?” Izzy teases, her whip slicing through another demon as she talks. 

“Come on Jace, keep up. At this rate I’ll kill more demons than you tonight.” Clary smirks, killing a demon with each hand by seraph blade. 

Magnus is moving further away from him as he tries to see the light’s source, a headache starting to form. He grits through it. He can’t let it affect him at a time like this. When he needs to protect everyone. 

“Guys, come on. Focus!” Alec yells back to all of them, shooting his arrow at the perfect time, clipping two off. 

“While all this chit chat is all very amusing, I have a plan,” Magnus says to them, and Alec looks for Magnus in that moment, seeing blue flames swirling around him and his cat eye’s glowing bright. It catches him off guard, how powerful Magnus looks like this. He moves so elegantly, like he’s dancing instead of fighting. 

Jace bumping into him brings him back from his daze, the demon coming closer to him turning into ash as he shoots an arrow last minute. 

“I know what's causing the light. I can break whatever spell that is casting it, but I need to get closer.” 

Alec moves closer to Magnus, the odd pain in his head that was there diminishing. “I’ll cover you.”

Magnus nods.

They slowly start to make their way towards the light, Alec shooting down demons before they get too close, and Magnus flinging the ones that do anyway. Before Alec knows it, they’re fighting side by side, in sync. It feels comfortable, as if Alec has fought beside Magnus before. Like something has clicked between them. It's not like when he and Jace fight, no. It's something completely different. Something new. 

“Go, I’ve got you,” Alec raises his voice above all the chaos, not needing to shout since Magnus is right at his back. He can see blue flames starting to surround him at the corner of his eyes, and he doesn’t know how to feel about it. He knows he should feel like it’s a threat, wants to put his guard, move away from it... But he doesn’t. He doesn’t feel like that at all. 

“Thanks,” Magnus says, shooting a spark of light through a couple more demons heading toward Alec’s left, instantly killing them. Alec hears a couple of growls, too, and sees some of the werewolves take down more demons with Jace and Clary. 

The further they get to the light, the harder it is to see. They are more demons to fight, too, as they draw nearer. Alec resorts to his seraph blade at one point, when there are too many for his bow to keep back. Alec can feel sweat everywhere, and he can’t help but worry about his family just out of reach, and he checks to see if they’re alright. 

He’s distracted by Magnus's booming voice behind him for a second as he speaks out a spell, and he sees a large demon rushing towards Magnus’s turned back. Alec recoils, praying Izzy, Jace, and Clary are safe, and charges at the demon heading straight toward Magnus. 

And then everything freezes.

All the demons stop moving, the air around them stagnant and smelling like blood. Alec blinks twice, his grip on his blade tightening, ready for whatever comes next. 

“Magnus--” he breathes out, anxious, confused.

Then every single demon in the field goes up into flames, bright and angry. They turn into ash at Alec’s feet. 

When Alec looks back toward Magnus, he’s still deep into his magic, his skin almost glowing. As if he absorbed the light. 

Alec sees a flicker in the distance where the light used to be. A hooded figure. Something, no, _someone_ is on the ground, not moving. The shadowy figure hovering over it. 

The killer. 

He immediately knocks and lets loose his last arrow- but the figure turns sideways and the arrow misses him, going for the object that appears in the killer’s hands instead. Alec starts running then, but the hooded figure is too quick. The killer moves faster, his hands moving with green magic and flicks through the object-- a book, at Alec’s quick footsteps. He snaps a portal in front of him, and Alec notches his last arrow in hopes of getting him before- 

_Dammit._

He was _so close._

Alec slows down, his lungs burning, and he turns around to the body, lying there-

Wait. 

He sees the warlock’s chest move, shallow, bloody, but he’s breathing. He’s _breathing._

“Magnus!” Alec yells, dropping down the ground and raising the warlock’s head into a propped position against his leg. 

He brings a shaky hand to the warlock’s dark skinned hand, covered in blood, and squeezes. 

“Can you feel that?” 

The warlock nods, letting out a small groan of pain. The cuts along his upper arm don’t seem to have severed any vital nerves.

“Elias, oh god,” Magnus whispers, dropping to his knees as well. 

“Mag-” Elias tries, before coughing and wincing in pain. 

“Shh, don't talk. We’re going to get you all patched up and looking like new, okay?” Magnus brings a hand to Elias’s face, gently running a hand through the short hair at his neck. 

Elias tries to smile, but it comes out like a grimace. 

“Oh my god, what happened?” Clary asks as her, Izzy, and Jace make their way over. 

“That doesn't matter right now,” Magnus says almost immediately but not in a malicious way, snapping up another portal, “What matters is all of you getting somewhere safe.” 

Magnus makes his hand flourish, elevating Elias with his magic.

A werewolf comes up to them then, green eyes bright and his gray fur matted by demon blood. Alec thinks it's Luke, from the other time they saw his werewolf form, and he's carrying one of his arrows in his mouth. Alec recognizes it as the last arrow that he shot at the killer, with some rumpled papers torn on the arrow head. 

Alec takes it from Luke with an appreciative smile on his face, and Luke bows his head before running off to join the rest of his pack. 

Alec turns around to the his family and Magnus. 

“I want you guys to go back the the Institute and report this,” he says, looking at all of them, “Magnus and I are going back to the apartment-” Alec looks over to Magnus with the silent question in his eyes and Magnus nods his head in quick confirmation, “-and we will help Elias. If mom is still there, tell her that we are still working on the bond.”

They all nod, too tired to argue. Alec turns to Magnus and they three walk into the portal. 

\--- 

Magnus is holding Elias’s hand where he’s asleep on the couch, clean and safe. 

Magnus went into immediate action as soon as they got to Magnus’s apartment, cleaning Elias’s wounds through magic for the ones he could. He still has some damage around his little downturned horns, but they’re still firmly attached to his skull, a fact Alec is more than a little relieved about.

 

Alec wonders what would have happened if they hadn’t gotten there in time. If they had gotten there a second too late. Elias wouldn't be on that couch, Magnus resolve would crumble, him going to tears. Again. Alec wonders why it hurts to think about, more than it should. Wonders if it’s really just empathy.

He also worries if Magnus is okay, having used so much magic in the span of two hours. When Alec voiced his thought Magnus just batted him away, though, saying he was fine. Alec doesn't believe him. If the slow discoloration of his tan skin is anything to go by, Magnus is tiring. But he just sits by Elias’s side, slowly healing him, his back to Alec. 

Alec looks down at the crumpled papers in his hands, the foreign language written in distinct lines and curves, the pages fraying. 

When Luke gave him the arrow he hadn't expected to find a couple of pages ripped out of the grimoire. It’s either very lucky that he had caught these pages before the killer got away or he’s just that good of a shot. When Alec had presented the pages to Magnus, Magnus said he was just a good shot with a surprised expression as he accepted them.

Alec couldn’t understand any of it though, the Greek too ancient for him to translate, but Magnus said he would translate it later after Elias is healed. 

The grumbling from Alec’s stomach disrupts his thoughts, and he realizes how starving he actually is. Whenever him and the others come back after demon fighting they always get takeout, so his body has developed a habit. But Alec doesn't know if Magnus has any food in his apartment, or if he’d be welcome to it. 

“Alexander, I don’t suppose you’re hungry?” Magnus asks as he walks into the kitchen a long, calculated smile growing on his lips after hearing Alec’s stomach growl. “It seems that we are on the same page here. I am certainly _famished_.” 

“Do you have any food here?” 

Magnus gives him a sly look. “I’m not too big on cooking these days. I used to love it but….” His expression grows dark, as if the memory of cooking pained him in some way. “Would you like something to eat?”

Alec nods, and Magnus brings out a couple of menus from his drawer. “Pick anything, I can have it here in a minute.” 

Alec frowns. “What? No.” 

Magnus quirks an eyebrow at him, his stance defensive. “Why? Someone of your stature couldn't eat with someone like me?” 

“No--” Alec panics, stuttering his words out. “No that's not..” 

Magnus gives him a hard, long look that's slowly turning into a confused one.

Alec clears his throat. “I just meant, aren’t you tired from using so much magic? You shouldn't use anymore on takeout, so you can save your energy." 

Magnus gives him a weird expression,one that's ghosting on embarrassment, but reverts back to his usual self, a slight smirk forming. “Oh _please_ , it's just take out. If you don't pick I’ll pick for us instead.” 

“Magnus, no, you shouldn't use your-” Alec is cut off by the small popping noise and the faint scent of Chinese slowly filling in the air, “...magic.” 

“Alec, I’m fine. You don't need to worry over me. It is just food after all.” 

Alec sighs, rolling his eyes. 

Alec goes over to the Chinese take out though, grabbing the egg rolls and a box, while Magnus picks out what he wants, and then sits on the counter while eating. It's a little ridiculous to Alec, seeing the High Warlock Of Brooklyn, someone who is more powerful than most downworlders combined, sitting on the countertop happily eating his chow mein while kicking his feet back and forth. But it's also a little domestic, the shared space between them. Like Alec could get used to coming home to someone and eating dinner together. Maybe talking about their day together. 

Alec snaps out of the thought immediately, shaking it out of his mind. There’s not going to be anything like that for him. 

He digs into his dumplings and they eat in silence, save the occasional compliment over how good the food is, and the small glances at Magnus eating, a little messy. 

“I think,” Magnus starts after a while, putting down his chopsticks, “that I will stay up for a while and keep healing him in doses.” 

Alec shakes his head. “You should probably go to sleep. No offense, but you look really weak. You’re over exerting yourself.” 

Magnus puts a hand over his heart, his expression turning into a mocking offense. Alec’s lips upturn a little, but relaxes the expression soon enough. He needs to stay serious.

“Why Alec, I'm offended you think I can't handle it.” Magnus’s sharp, humorous expression washes over Alec. “I should turn you into a toad for how little faith you have in me.” 

Alec huffs, looking Magnus’s face up and down, stopping at the dark lines under his eyes. “You’re worse than Jace.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Magnus pops an egg roll into his mouth.

Alec rolls his eyes, pointing his chopsticks at Magnus. “Go get some rest. You can't heal him if you don't have the energy to.” 

Magnus makes a dramatic wave of his hand, sighing heavily. “ _Fine_. I guess I do need a shower after all of that demon ash getting on my skin.” 

He hops off the counter to make his way to his bathroom as Alec starts putting leftovers in the fridge, when Magnus turns around again. “But you have to get some sleep, too. I know you are just as exhausted. It's not going to do you any good to stay up and worry.” 

“No, Magnus I’m fine-” 

“Nope. No arguing.” 

Alec huffs a little, grumbling out silent disagreements as he finishes the with the containers and puts them in the fridge. 

After he's done, he checks on Elias. He's bandaged up because some of his body wouldn't heal, but in all he's going to be okay. Alec thanks Raziel for giving him a chance to save Elias. If he didn't it would be another life on Alec’s hands. 

Alec silently thanks Magnus, too. For saving Elias. Without him, no one could have gotten to the killer until it was too late. They wouldn't really be where they are now, without Magnus’s help. And Luke’s, in hindsight. 

Alec thinks back on the last couple of days. How rude he was to Magnus, how he went to pain over his friend. Magnus being kind to him, after his talk with his mother. How they were acting just then, all friendly. 

Alec wonders if they are friends. He hopes they are. Magnus seems like a good friend, someone to have fun with. The outfits, or lack thereof with how little he likes to wear sometimes, just scream fun. Alec really hopes they’re friends, and that this ease between them isn’t just some side effect of the bond that will go away when it's all over. 

 

“Alec, if you want a shower I suggest you do it now,” Magnus says, and Alec jumpsuit little, turning around to look at him, meaning to reply--

Oh. 

“Uh--” is all Alec’s short-circuiting mouth offers.

Magnus, with no makeup on. Magnus, with only a towel on. Some water droplets still rolling over his neck, and the way the light casts a shadow over the toned muscles of his arms and chest- 

Alec snaps his eyes to Magnus’s tired, makeup-free face. “What?” 

“Shower? I'm definitely not sleeping next to someone who smells.” Magnus smiles.

Alec’s brain short circuits again. “Sleeping next to? Next to you?” 

Magnus shakes his head, a ‘duh’ expression on his face. “The couch is taken, where else are you going to sleep?” 

Alec flicks his eyes everywhere, coming up with an idea. “On the floor?”

Magnus looks scandalized, though Alec has a feeling he’s being dramatic for effect. “I’d _never_ let a guest sleep on the floor. You share the bed with me until Elias is fully healed- simple as that.” 

Magnus walks out of the room then, and Alec is stuck where he is processing everything that just happened. Magnus with no makeup, and no clothes on. Magnus, who is surprisingly fit and toned with muscles. Alec sleeping in Magnus’s bed, with him in it. He doesn't think he's slept with someone in the same bed since he was ten. 

He sighs, dragging himself to the bathroom as he gets ready to take a shower. His bag is already in there from yesterday, and he shucks his clothes off and hops in, making the shower as quick as possible. He scrubs his body to his bones, trying to relieve himself of the soreness in his muscles, feeling the stamina rune wearing off its affects, leaving him exhausted. When he's done he dries off and gets dressed and just… waits. 

He knows he needs to go out there at some point, if not for the fact that he's really starting to feel his exhaustion set in, then for the fact that his legs will fall asleep from standing there too long. 

He sighs, running a hand over his face and opening the door. Magnus is sitting on the opposite side of the bed, already turned away and looking like he is asleep. Alec walks over and hovers a little, not really knowing what to do. Does he just get in? Does he tell Magnus? What if he's already asleep? 

“Alec, turn your thoughts off. They are interrupting my beauty sleep. Just get in, I don't bite.” 

Alec’s throat closes up a little at that- no. He's not going down that route, there's not even a route there to begin with. Not with Magnus here and in his own bed. 

He climbs into it, trying to make himself comfortable with as little movement as possible, but his brain can't shut off, and he's too… tense. 

He's aware of too much. The barely existing body heat coming off from Magnus. His breathing. How hot he feels under the covers, even though he was just fine a second ago. This bed is nothing like the one at the Institute. It's too soft, too comfortable. He can't help but focus on the fact that if he moved a little more to the left they would be touching. 

“Alec. Stop. Thinking.” Magnus shuffles a bit, inevitably bringing them closer together, and Alec goes rigid for a second, before relaxing. 

“Sorry.” 

Magnus huffs, bringing the covers around him a little more. Alec breathes in, trying to relax. This is nothing. Just sharing a bed with someone. He can sleep like this. It's really no big deal. It doesn't matter that Magnus is sleeping shirtless. It's not even a problem. 

Alec squeezes his eyes shut, trying to rid himself of his thoughts like Magnus said. He can do this. 

After a couple of minutes Magnus’s breathing evens out, signaling to Alec that he's asleep. Eventually, Alec falls asleep to the steady inhale and exhale of the warlock beside him.


End file.
